As the summer days shorten and it is cool enough to turn on the oven again, roasted zucchini is a wonderful side dish.  Even folks who declare they have had enough squash for one season enjoy this dish where the zucchini is sweet and tender.

8-10 Servings

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 lbs. zucchini (about 5 small squash)
• Fresh thyme and rosemary sprigs (about 4 each)
• 1/4 Cup olive oil
• 1 ½ tsp. each kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
• 1 sweet red pepper

Preheat the oven to 400°.  Thinly slice the zucchini, making the slices between 1/8” and 1/4” thick and place in a large bowl (if you own a mandolin, now is the time to use it!). Separate the thyme leaves and the rosemary leaves from the stems and roughly chop.  Add the herbs along with the olive oil, salt, and pepper to the zucchini and toss with your hands to coats the zucchini.

In a 12” gratin dish, or other 1.5 quart casserole dish, starting at one of the short ends, place the zucchini slices standing on end in approximate rows.  Working your way across the dish, fill entirely with rows of the zucchini slices, exposing the middle flesh.  Reserve the bowl for the red pepper.  If you fill the gratin dish and still have more zucchini slices, just tuck the slices in between the rows and fill some of the gaps that inevitably materialize.

Chop the red pepper and place in the bowl with the remnants of herbs and olive oil.  Swirl the pepper around the bowl to lightly coat in oil and then sprinkle the pepper pieces across the top of the zucchini.

Bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes until the zucchini is soft and the pepper on top is completely roasted.  Can be served hot or at room temperature.